


Date Night(s)

by orphan_account



Series: Redshirt Year [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cheesy, Dinner, First Dates, Fluff, Kissing, Lance (Voltron) is Pretty, M/M, Movie Night, Shiro (Voltron) Has Anxiety, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Underage Drinking, why isn't that a tag :(
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 08:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13609044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: During their drunken first meeting when they shared more than a few kisses, Shiro asked Lance on three dates over the next three days. He's nervous, maybe a bit awkward, and finding out that he and Lance are vastly different people, but instead of being fearful of their differences, he finds himself falling more and more for him with each date.





	Date Night(s)

**Author's Note:**

> don't read if lactose intolerant this is cheesy af. also, random, but! while writing this, i started thinking about shiro and lance's contrasting personalities. if ur into mbti types, i see lance as an ENFP and shiro as an ISTJ--literally opposites!!! posted about it on my tumblr, as well as the other main character's types, if you're interested in that kind of thing

_Shiro_  
_Hey, what kind of wine does Lance like?  
4:13pm_

 **Keith**  
**why tf would I know**  
**4:14pm**

_HELP ME  
4:15pm_

**Mmmmmm nah  
4:16pm**

_I hate you :((((  
4:16pm_

_Can’t you ask him?  
4:16pm_

**Can’t you??? and he’s playing video games with hunk, I think  
4:17pm**

_Oh, why didn’t you go?_  
4:18pm

_Make friends!!  
4:18pm_

_Mingle!  
4:18pm_

_Schmoooozzeee  
4:19pm_

_Maybe… smooch?  
4:19pm_

**P sure hunk’s straight. And I am mingling, I’m smoking with pidge  
4:20pm**

**AYYE 420 BLAZE IT  
4:20pm**

**I CAN DIE HAPPY NOW  
4:20pm**

_Who’s pidge??? Smoking what???? I’m calling the police!!  
4:21pm_

**Pidge=Katie holt  
4:22pm**

_A GIRL???? WITH MY BRO????  
4:22pm_

**Her brother’s here too lmao  
4:23pm**

_A rotten influence. Drink alc like the rest of us  
4:24pm_

**You’d be invited if you didn’t have mandatory drug tests lol  
4:24pm**

_I do miss the ganj, just a little bit  
4:25pm_

_K well tyvm for being FUCKIGN USELESS I’ll just get pinot grigio and hope for the best  
4:25pm_

**Ganbatte ne use protection  
4:26pm**

_Will do  
4:28pm_

With a smile, Shiro locked his phone, slipping it back in his pocket. He reached for the second cheapest bottle of pinot grigio, setting it on his shopping cart’s child seat next to some eggs, bananas, and individual frozen pizzas. The cart body itself was filled with some plush rugs and towels he’d thought might spruce up his bleak apartment a bit, and he finally got around to picking out an actual trash can—he wasn’t sure Lance would appreciate the upside-down stool covered with a Hefty trash bag in the kitchen. If Lance was anything like Allura, which Shiro suspected he was, he figured he should make some effort to not look like a typical, slovenly college guy. He even swung by the store’s nature center and bought a small fern—though he didn’t quite know where he was actually going to put it. And, in case all that didn’t work, he’d also selected a handle of nice tequila, hoping that might impress Lance or at least distract him from judging the one-bedroom apartment too harshly.

He went through the self-check-out, as the workers who manned the station were much less attentive to fake IDs. He was able to secure the alcohol without a problem, as he always was, and he made for his car. After loading his groceries into his trunk, he moved to get into the driver’s seat.

“Takashi Shirogane!” someone squealed.

Shiro steeled himself, recognizing the tone as one from a fan. With a forced smile, he turned toward the speaker.

“That’s me,” he said. “Can I help you?”

The man looked star struck. “It’s actually you, wow!”

“It sure is.”

“Sorry, I just… wow! I’ve lived here forever but never thought I’d actually bump into you!”

He chuckled. “What’s your name?”

He extended his hand. “I’m Cesar!”

Shiro lifted his arm to shake his hand, and the man didn’t even startle at the metal. “Nice to meet you.”

“Can I get a selfie with you?”

“I don’t see why not,” he smiled.

Cesar whipped out his phone, trembling fingers not enough to stop him from opening his camera app. “Say ‘cheese’!” he instructed with a grin.

Shiro offered his usual photo smile and peace sign.

“One more—for Snapchat?”

“Sure…” he glanced down at the man’s phone while he pulled up the app. It was getting late, and he still needed to set up all that he’d bought before going to pick Lance up at five.

After their second selfie, Cesar asked him to sign the snap with his finger.

“Alright, there you go,” Shiro said. He took a step backward. “Anyway, it was great to meet you, Cesar. I have to head back to campus.”

“Oh, right! Just a quick question, though!”

He inhaled deeply. “Sure, what’s up?”

“It’s just… I have a nephew—he’s such a huge fan! It would mean the world to him if you would talk to him, just for a second! I can call his mother right now!” Before he could decline, the man dialed a number and brought the phone to his ear. “Laly! Oh, si, si. Si! … _si!_ ” he sighed. “¿Está Miguel allí? Por qué? Porque!”

While he continued his conversation, Shiro removed his own phone from his pocket, figuring he’d be wise to text Lance that he might be late.

Morning practice and a team lunch had stolen the majority of his day, and after waking a few minutes past noon, Lance had been forced to attend meeting after meeting for orientation—Shiro wasn’t sure how Keith had managed to skip out on those. As a result, they hadn’t been able to keep up a decent conversation, and that contributed to Shiro’s nerves about their date more than he wanted to admit. For him, texting was the perfect way to feel out the other person, to find some common ground and build up confidence before spending time together face-to-face, though he knew other people weren’t as appreciative of the medium.

What if they had nothing to talk about? What if Lance had only agreed to their date, had only kissed him, because he was drunk? In general Shiro was a big ball of anxiety in social situations, especially when he wasn’t familiar with anyone present. He’d been pleasantly surprised with Lance last night—and not just because of the kisses. Sure, he’d been a bit tongue-tied and utterly lacking in charms, but Lance never made him feel bad for it. It was the first time in a long time that his nerves were a result of genuine attraction rather than his own internal battles.

**Keith**   
**he likes chardonnay**   
**4:37pm**

Shiro rolled his eyes but decided to worry about texting Keith later. He sent a quick explanation of his situation and requested for an hour delay to Lance, just in time for Cesar to thrust his phone in Shiro’s face.

He stayed on the phone with the kid for five minutes, try as he might to end the conversation organically. Finally, the boy’s mom reclaimed her phone—but then _she_ started gushing about how big a fan she was of his. It didn’t seem as if she had any opinions about his play style, more so his appearance, so he only chuckled and tried to hide his discomfort.

By the time Cesar set him free, Shiro was weary. Socializing with fans could be draining; he much preferred being around people who weren’t gushing over him and what he’d done. He loved that so many people supported him, of course, and he was grateful for his lot in life. Still, he almost wished he was a regular student who could go shopping or even just walk to class without people stopping to snap pictures of him, like he was some kind of animal on display.

He started up his car and tuned into some Top 40s station. A repetitive, poppy tune filled the air, and he allowed his mind to latch onto the rhythm, humming idly while he checked his phone.

 _Lance_  
_6 is totally fine! no rush :)_  
 _4:40pm_

_I’m quite entertained watching keith, Katie, and matt gorging themselves on doritos so take your time lol  
4:41pm_

_I’m in hunk’s room in oshag, if you’d prefer to pick me up here, fyi  
4:45pm_

It was more convenient for him, since Hunk’s dorm was on the side of campus closer to Shiro’s apartment complex. He sent a quick “thank you” text then peeled out of the parking lot, speeding to his home.

After rapidly unloading his groceries and throwing his new wares into their respective spots, Shiro was happy to say that his place almost looked livable. Since he had a bit of time, he quickly spot cleaned and vacuumed. He stuffed his dirty clothes and gear in a closet, then opened a window for good measure. After picking up a trash bag full of red solo cups and beer bottles to take to the dumpster, he departed.

Lance was reclining on a bench just in front of O’Shaughnessy, and he happily skipped to the passenger side door on seeing Shiro.

Slipping into the seat like he was made for it, he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Shiro’s cheek. “Hey.”

Shiro gaped, then collected himself. “Hey! Um… how are you?”

“Fantastic!” he grinned. “I kicked everyone’s ass at Mario Party. You’ll have to join us next time!”

He laughed. “I don’t know, I’m not very good at it…” he lied.

“Aw, that’s precious! No worries, I’ll be your coach, then!” he patted Shiro’s hand. “Anyway, those guys were exhaling so much weed smell that I almost feel high, so now I’m starving!”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” he shook his head. “You do smell a bit dank.”

“Good thing the weather’s nice!” he rolled down his window, then started fiddling with the roof window buttons as well.

It should already be evident that Shiro is not a neat person—his apartment is a testament to this fact. However, like a cliché, he does take pride in maintaining his car, and he’s particularly anal about newcomers manhandling his baby. Keith had received a number of smacks to the back of his head for trying to put his feet up on the dash, or for messing with the radio’s volume while they drove. He’d even scolded their father when he’d opened up his McDonald’s in the passenger seat. His team had made a joke out of how “in love” with his car he was, convincing two of their freshmen that he would kill them if they so much as touched it during the summer session. Of course, since they’d carpooled to the city on numerous occasions, those rumors were dashed, but he could still see the fear in their eyes when they walked near his parking spot.

Lance had opened the roof, cranked up the music, and was leaning out the window without a care in the world. He belted the lyrics to whatever song was playing, winking in Shiro’s direction. Shiro couldn’t shake the feeling that Lance looked like he belonged there, and the thought of being annoyed with his actions was borderline offensive.

“Well? Let’s get going! Show me how fast this baby can go!” he pat the outside of his door.

Shiro revved the engine, laughing when Lance startled.

“Shit! She’s got some power!” he had to yell to be heard.

Surely the grounds team would hate him for it, but Shiro pulled out of his spot with reckless abandon. Lance leaned out the window, pointing back at the tire marks they’d left in their wake. He cheered as Shiro blew through the backroads of campus, only slowing when they neared the gate.

After settling into a more legal speed, they took to the main road. Lance kept one hand out the window, creating waves in the air with his hand as he sung. Occasionally, he stuck his other hand out the top window, laughing at some joke Shiro wasn’t privy to.

Just like that, they were pulling up to the restaurant, and just like that, Shiro’s mood had brightened just as his nerves had eased. He wasn’t sure how it would’ve been if they’d been forced to spend the car ride in silence, potentially falling into an awkward exchange of shallow pleasantries. Thankfully, by the time they were seated, Lance had already taken control of the situation, and Shiro was content to let him direct their conversation.

Poring over his menu, Lance pouted.

“So you know how I said I love Thai food?”

“Yeah?” Shiro frowned, worried. “If you don’t, we can go somewhere—“

“No! No, it’s fine. It’s just… I think I mixed up Thai food with Indian food, or something?” he laughed. “So I have no idea what’s good. Well, I guess some of it looks a little familiar—oh! Like this curry!” he pointed at one of their spicier selections.

Shiro tended toward less spicy food himself, preferring that the flavor be brought forth as a result of quality ingredients rather than add-ons. He usually ordered one of the more savory items when he visited this particular restaurant, the saltiness of the meat and noodles more than adequate to please his taste buds.

“I’ve heard that one’s good,” he said.

“Hmm…” Lance flipped through the pages rapidly, while Shiro only watched, his order already decided.

Their waiter came up, smiling politely.

“Good evening, gentlemen. Can I get you started with some drinks or appetizers?”

“Get whatever you want, Lance,” Shiro smiled.

“Awesome, thanks. Um, I’ll have a Diet Coke. No lemon. Shiro, do you want to split an appetizer?”

“Sure. I like the chicken satay, but the dumplings are also good.”

“Oh, actually, I’m a vegetarian.” He turned to the waiter. “We may need more time, sorry.”

“Not a problem,” he replied. “And a drink for you, sir?”

“Iced tea, please.”

“I can come back in a few minutes with your drinks and then I can get your appetizer order, alright? I personally am a huge fan of our fried tofu appetizer,” he supplied.

“Oh, that _does_ sound good,” Lance murmured while reading the description. “Are you okay with that, Shiro? You can get something with meat, too!”

“No, no, we can get it. Alright, one of the fried tofu and… the spring rolls, please.”

“Of course, I’ll be back with those drinks and your appetizers should be out just a bit later,” nodding, the waiter slipped past their table to their next patrons.

“Okay, so, first date!” Lance clapped his hands. “You’ll be proud to know that after I Googled you last night, I only read the one article about you accepting a spot on GT’s team. I kinda felt weird, you know? Like it wasn’t fair that I could have all that access to info about you when you couldn’t do the same, if that makes sense.”

“No, yeah, it does. And, thanks,” he smiled. He certainly hadn’t expected Lance to start raving about his stats or anything, already knowing that he wasn’t into football, but he wasn’t sure how he’d have reacted if Lance had watched any of his interviews or worse, read about the details of the accident last spring. He hated how so much of what he’d wanted to keep private was readily available for public consumption. “So, you’re a vegetarian?”

“Yup!” he nodded. “Have been since ninth grade!”

“Any reason?”

“At first it was because one of my friends was—it kind of became trendy at my school, weirdly enough. I wasn’t super healthy about it, at first, just eating way too much bread and candy instead,” he laughed. “I got, like, super malnourished, and when my mom noticed she made me go back to eating meat, but of course my stomach was like, nope! So eventually I learned how to actually get some protein in my diet and everything else that I needed. Now, I keep it up for moral and environmental reasons. But! I’m not gonna, like, lecture you or anything. It’s not for everyone. Anyway, it’s kinda silly, I know, like what can one person do?”

Shiro shrugged. “It’s cool that you’re so passionate about it.” Their waiter returned with their drinks, setting them down without a word.

“Thanks,” he smiled. “It kinda worked out, though, ‘cause no one else in my family was vegetarian, so I learned to cook a bunch of things for myself! Since we’re required to live on campus freshman year, I’ll just go to the dining hall a ton, I’m sure, but afterward I’ll be able to be an actual adult all on my own! You’re off campus, right?”

“Yeah, just a small apartment close to campus. One-bedroom.”

“Is it fun? How come you moved off?”

“I mean, it’s alright. I lived in it over the summer. It’s nice to be able to get away from campus for a bit. And it’s quiet, so I can actually study there. I made the unfortunate mistake of buying a decent TV, though, and since I brought all my gaming systems from home, occasionally the guys will come over to kickback,” he chuckled.

“Are your teammates, like, your closest friends? Or is it Matt and Allura?”

“They’re kind of… hard to compare, you know? Like they don’t really overlap as far as spending time together. Before I left last spring, I would usually study with Allura, get meals with Matt and her, but go out with my team when we had time. Matt has his engineering friends, and Allura hangs out with class council people, I think. But, my teammates are great when it comes to school or football stress, at least. When it comes to personal issues, though, I prefer talking to Matt or Allura, or even Keith.”

“Yeah, I get that. Allura did say she has, like, her study friends, her going-out friends, and her hanging-out friends… although it kind of sounded to me like Matt was always around. They’re cute together, don’t you think?”

“Of course! Matt was so nervous around her last fall, I remember. He could barely speak to her unless I was in the room, too. Maybe after I left they were able to get a bit closer.”

Lance sipped at his drink, nodding. “Was it weird being home?”

“Yeah, it was. I’d check Facebook or Snapchat and see everyone hanging out, or getting dinner, or just being in class, and I’d miss it. All I got was the boring part of college with my online classes and tests. None of the fun or the people that make it all worth it.”

“What are you studying?”

“Just business for now,” he frowned slightly. He’d come to GT for football, and while he recognized the importance of getting an education, he only studied to keep up his GPA and to give him something to do. He hardly had a passion for what he was studying, and he hoped Lance didn’t think less of him for it. “I may concentrate in Management, though I don’t declare till the spring. Allura said you’re studying dance and education?”

“That’s right! I’ve always loved dancing, so I wanted to keep studying it if I could. As for education, well, I love kids, you know? They’re always so open and willing to learn. I have a lot of younger siblings, and growing up I got to learn how to take care of them, just ‘cause I wanted to help out my parents where I could. Do you like kids?”

“I haven’t really thought about it… I guess they’re… cute? A bit stupid—“ he winced. That probably wasn’t the right thing to say.

Lance laughed. “Oh they’re incredibly stupid sometimes! It’s so funny how their little brains aren’t quite up to par when it comes to logic or reasoning. But, they can surprise you. They’re like little sponges the way they soak up the most random of information.”

“I’ve met some pretty cool kids at our little training camps we hold. And since I lost my arm, my dad’s encouraged me to visit kids in hospitals—like, after they lose a limb, or something. I couldn’t imagine losing my arm at such a young age, but these kids are all so resilient!”

“Kids can be tough, that’s for sure, though of course you hope that they never need to be…”

There were a few seconds of silence, Lance’s somber words disrupting the flow of conversation. Thankfully, their appetizers arrived, and after sampling the food, Lance’s bright smile had returned.

“Holy shit this is delicious!” he took another fried tofu square and dunked it in one of the provided sauces. "I want, like, ten bottles of whatever this sauce is.”

Shiro was similarly enjoying his spring roll.

“Oh, I bet I could totally make this stuff!” Lance continued through a bite of his spring roll. “Can’t be too hard, can it? What kind of food do you like to cook, Shiro?”

“Uh…”

“Please don’t say ramen!”

“Mac ‘n’ cheese.”

“Better, but not by much. Do you not know how to cook?”

“On occasions I can make a mean stir-fry.”

“That is the quintessential useless-college-student-pretending-to-have-their-shit-together meal,” Lance whined. “I’m sure you use a premade teriyaki sauce to ‘spice up’ your chicken and veggies over sad white rice?”

“Excuse you, I prefer brown rice, thank you very much!” he laughed.

“Shiro! You’re breaking my heart! Alright, it’s official: I’m cancelling our date tomorrow—“

“—but—“

“—we’re no longer going out! You will take me to a grocery store and I’m going to whip you up something delicious and homemade!”

“Oh, well, alright. That could be fun.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself! I’m going to put you to work! Coran’s workouts will be a cakewalk in comparison to my kitchen survival boot camp!”

“Fine, fine. I’m a champion at following directions, though, so I’m sure I can handle it.”

Lance’s eyes sparkled at the hint of challenge in Shiro’s voice. “I sense that you doubt me. I’ll find some creativity in you if it kills you!”

“Don’t you mean ‘kills me’?”

“That’s what I said.”

“No, not me as in _me_ , but me as in _you_?”

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant!”

“Dr. Seuss? Here?”

“Oh, the places he’ll go!”

Shiro had to pause his laughing when their waiter came back to take their order. He requested the drunken noodles while Lance went with a red curry with tofu. The waiter warned him that it would be spicy, but he simply waved away their words.

“Hit me with your best shot, I can handle it.”

While they waited, they kept up an easy conversation; Shiro couldn’t believe that he’d thought they’d run out of things to talk about. They were just getting to know each other, after all, so literally any story or factoid was fair game. Lance tended to do most of the talking, and Shiro liked that just fine. It wasn’t often that people were so eager to talk about themselves around him, instead preferring to focus on his career.

There was a lull in the conversation after their food arrived, but only so that they could both take the time to appreciate their food. Lance was practically moaning with each bite, though he did admit that it was a bit too spicy even for him. Their waiter had to make frequent trips in order to refill his drink, but he pressed on, still in love with the flavor. Shiro wasn’t brave enough to even try a bite, but he’d happily allowed Lance to sample his own meal.

“It’s good,” he said. “If you’re into a bowl of pure MSG,” he swallowed. “That may be the whitest thing you could’ve gotten from here.”

“Actually, they also have chicken strips on the kids’ menu,” Shiro pointed out.

“Have you ever ordered those?”

“Once.”

“How did they let you?” he laughed. “You’re, what, like 19 or 20?”

“Nineteen. Although, Keith usually says I’m only four because of my birthday.”

“When is it?”

“February 29th.”

“No way!” he grinned. “Dude, you’re a literal child.”

“Now who’s the cradle robber?”

“Hey if I’m a cradle robber, that makes you a grave robber! I’m 14 years older than you!”

“Which is why they let me order from the kids menu. I was just joking, but my waitress thought it was funny, so,” he shrugged.

“Nah, she was probably flirting.”

“What?” he flushed. “No way.”

Lance hummed, eyes softening. “I’m almost jealous.” Reaching across the table, he placed his hand over Shiro’s. “I bet everyone flirts with you and you don’t even notice!”

“I wouldn’t say I never notice. I just… I don’t like rejecting people. Making it awkward, you know?”

He tilted his head to the side. “I guess that makes sense. Hey, random question, why do you go by Shiro?”

“It’s kind of just a habit, at this point. My coaches were always calling people by their last names, but when I was younger, Shirogane was deemed too long. So, they just called me Shiro. Eventually everyone, not just my team, started calling me that too. Even Keith. The only ones who call me Takashi are my mom and her parents.”

“Takashi. It’s a nice name,” he smiled. “Mean anything?”

“There’s a few different meanings with different kanji, but mine means esteem or honor.”

“Honor you say? Plus the scar on your face… are you the reincarnated Prince Zuko?”

“I can’t be the reincarnation of a fictional character!”

Lance pouted. “Why not? Are you an expert on reincarnation or something?”

He sighed. “You are ridiculous,” still, he couldn’t hide his smile.

Having finished their meals, they rose to pay at the front. Lance made no move to offer his own credit card, so they were thankfully able to avoid the “no, I’ll pay” thing Shiro often saw on TV shows. As they walked to the car, Lance pressed against his side. It was dark and not too crowded, so Shiro didn’t mind taking a little risk. He extended his elbow, and Lance latched onto his arm immediately.

The drive to Shiro’s apartment was less spirited than the drive to the restaurant, filled with chatter rather than Lance’s singing. They talked about music for the most part after Lance complained about the quiet background station Shiro had selected, which eventually shifted to them talking about favorite artists and concerts they’d been to. Shiro teased Lance for still being into alternative music from their middle school days, comparing his tastes to Keith’s own angsty preferences, after which Lance changed his tune quickly, instead bestowing praise on Beyoncé and Kesha.

Once at Shiro’s apartment, Lance demanded a quick tour. Shiro obliged, though he didn’t spend much time at his bedroom, fearing it was still too messy for anyone else to look at. Lance admired his sparse décor, as well as the fern, complimenting Shiro on his apparent green thumb.

He told Lance how to turn on his gaming system, figuring they could pass the time with some video games, since they were both casual gamers. Lance happily launched Mario Kart while Shiro poured them each some wine. He handed the glass to Lance, who laughed.

“No wine glasses?” he turned the McDonald’s glass in his hand, admiring the Disney characters on its surface. “Dude, we totally have these same glasses at home.”

“I think everyone has these glasses,” he chuckled. “Mario Kart? Is that a good decision? I don’t want us hating each other.”

“But just think, if our relationship can pass this test, what’s stopping us from taking over the whole world?” He sipped the wine, sighing happily at the taste. “Ooh, I love some cheap white wine. Is this Barefoot?”

“You can tell?”

“I’m a connoisseur of the bottom shelf, my friend. Also, I have to say that this is not a proper serving size of wine. Are you trying to get me drunk?”

He supposed it may have looked rather shady, just them in his apartment, him heavy handed with his pour. “No! I mean, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—“

“Hey, relax,” Lance insisted, patting the space beside him. “It’s my first Saturday of college, I don’t mind getting a little tipsy. Now, get over here so I can cuddle you.”

“Aren’t we going to play?”

“The closer you are, the easier it’ll be for me to cheat and elbow you when I need.”

Chuckling, he settled onto the couch. Lance leaned against him, selecting their game mode.

“Dibs on Peach,” Shiro said, scrolling rapidly to select her.

“You are such a stereotypical gay, oh my gosh!”

“I should’ve figured it out earlier since I’ve always mained Peach.”

“Luckily for us, I’ve moved on from my Princess phase.” Lance clicked on Waluigi, and Shiro snorted.

“Are you serious?”

“Hey, he’s cool! And he makes hilarious noises!”

He rolled his eyes. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter who you’re playing as, since you’re about to get your ass beat.”

“Wanna bet? Let’s make this interesting! If neither of us beats the computers, we both drink. If one of us gets first, the loser drinks twice.”

“Wait, like, shots?”

“No! Just sips! The night is young! I’m not trying to die tonight!” he laughed.

“Alright, alright. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you when you end up passed out.”

“I was the McClain family champion! You’re going to eat your words!”

In the end, they ended up splitting victories; one of them would usually take first while the other won second or third, even after setting the CPUs to highest difficulty. Shiro lost track of how many games they played, but he knew that he refilled both of their cups two more times. They were no longer side by side, instead Lance had taken up residence between his legs, while Shiro had his arms wrapped around his slim frame to continue playing.

Lance had delivered on his threat to cheat, as he would often move to block Shiro’s vision, much easier now that he was sitting in front of him. Still, despite all his wriggling and distracting, Shiro clinched their last round.

Pouting, Lance turned to him. “Rematch?”

“Don’t be a sore loser,” he teased. “Anyway, it’s getting kind of late. I can call you an Uber home, or I could walk you back.” As much as he wanted to spend more time with Lance, they were both probably on the verge of drunk, and he still had early morning weightlifting to think about.

“Hey, I know what we could do,” Lance muttered it quietly, as if trying to keep a secret. Leaning forward, Shiro became hyperaware of how intimately they were seated. He could feel Lance’s breath on his lips.

“Yeah?” Did his voice crack? He’d deny it.

Lance gave a sly smile, inching even closer. “Since we’ve both had a few drinks… I think we’re perfectly pregamed for the quad party.”

He nodded, then froze. “Wait, what?”

Lance slid off his lap and stood, stretching his arms above his head. “Come on! You said it’s actually kind of fun, right? And there’ll be food trucks for my drunchies, and Keith said they even have some bouncy houses! Your team is all there, aren’t they?”

Shiro hadn’t checked his phone in the past hour, though he was sure the team group chat was likely blowing up. “I mean, yeah, probably.”

“Then let’s go!”

“Oh, alright. I need to find a wristband to sneak in since it’s freshmen only—“

“Allura’s a chaperone, isn’t she? We’ll just ask her!” Lance took out his phone, then flopped back on the opposite side of the couch to text her. He was giggling over something, sipping lazily at his remaining wine. He kicked one of his socked feet against Shiro’s thigh. “Come on, drink up! Call the Uber! We’re about to bring the party.”

Shiro had never been a fan of spontaneity; his life was so busy with classes and tutoring and practice that he preferred to keep to a strict schedule. It actually made him livid when his teammates sprung parties on him out of the blue, or when group meetings were called last second in the late hours of the evening.

In fact, looking at the two of them, they seemed about as different as two people could be. The only thing they seemed to share were their senses of humor, which while admittedly important to Shiro, it wasn’t much. He wondered if, past their mutual physical attraction and enjoyment of each other’s company, they’d prove to be more compatible in a meaningful way.

Well, he supposed that time would tell, in that regard. At the very least, he didn’t seem to mind Lance’s more outgoing and open personality, and he’d gotten used to it in a much shorter amount of time than it had taken to get used to Matt’s bubbly and Allura’s domineering selves.

They finished their drinks while waiting for their Uber, Lance playing a few songs over Shiro’s speaker and dragging him into a spirited waltz to Nicki Minaj’s bars all the while. During the drive, Allura texted Lance agreeing to help them sneak Shiro in, and Shiro also told his teammates that he was on his way.

The quad was packed, music blasting and people dancing while RAs and other upperclassmen volunteers watched on. Shiro honestly couldn’t say whether or not the first years were drunk or just outgoing enough to make fools of themselves while sober—if so, more power to them, he thought.

Allura met them at the entrance, clad in a polo, khaki shorts, and her Chacos.

Lance snickered on seeing her. “Cute outfit, Lura. You look like Coran on a beach day.”

“I resent that. Do you want my help or not?”

“Sorry, what I meant to say is that you look radiant! It’s bold of you to bring Bermuda shorts back, and I applaud you for it.”

Nodding, she approached Shiro. “Much better. I snagged a wristband from a kid who got kicked out.”

“Was he plastered?” Shiro asked.

“No. He was trying to steal everyone’s ice cream.”

“There’s an ice cream truck?” Lance brightened. “He had the right idea.”

“One ice cream per person,” she snapped. She undid the bracelet and clasped it around Shiro’s left wrist, patting his arm lightly. “There, you should be fine. I suppose people may recognize you, but football players generally get away with everything so…” she shrugged.

“Sweet, thanks, Lu!” Lance said. He stepped toward the entrance, tugging Shiro behind him. “Alright, let’s go find the others!”

Within the gated space, people were concentrated near the DJ, marked by rotating lights and pulsing music. As promised, food trucks and a few inflatables were positioned on the outskirts, and Lance made a beeline for the food. They both enjoyed the free churros, ice cream, dumplings, donuts, chili dogs, and some strange pizza-stuffed grilled cheese, apparently still hungry even after their filling dinner. By the time they headed off to find their friends, the party was in full swing.

Lance spotted Keith and Pidge first, waiting in line at a water station. At the same time, Shiro noticed a few of his teammates on the edge of the dancefloor; they decided to split up for a few minutes, agreeing to regroup near the other football players once Lance finished catching up with his fellow freshmen.

“Shiro!” they cheered on seeing him.

“Mystery man of the hour!”

“Where you been all day?”

“You missed pizza at Hunter’s!”

“And more importantly the pregame!”

He laughed. “Hey, sorry guys! I was getting dinner with someone.”

Someone elbowed him. “Oh? Was it perhaps the same someone you snuck off to your car with last night?”

“The freshman!”

“Shiro’s gone and got himself a freshman!” More cheers, and not just from his teammates.

“Guys, chill,” he pouted.

“Give him the flask! He’s gotta catch up.”

“Oh, my friend and I split a bottle of wine—one of those big ones, mind you,” he replied.

“Wining and dining your freshman?”

“Very smooth!”

“Where is she?”

“Don’t tell us you kicked her out so early!”

“You’re supposed to be the gentleman among us!” someone laughed.

“It’s not like that!” Shiro insisted. Someone near him forced a flask into his hand. “Alright, alright, just a sip, though.”

Lance found them a few minutes later, flask more than “just a sip” lighter than it had been initially. Keith, Hunk, and, Pidge were with him.

“Lance!” Shiro placed an arm around his shoulders. The wine was finally starting to kick in, his smile forming more easily than usual. “Meet my team!”

“Hey!” Lance waved at the guys, who nodded or waved back. “I’m Lance!”

“Guys, this is my brother’s roommate. So be nice,” he warned. “Oh! And here’s my little bro!” he grabbed Keith with his free hand, pulling him closer. “Keith, say ‘hi’.”

“Hi.”

“And this is Hunk and Katie!” Lance added. “Fellow freshmen!”

“Nice to meet you all!”

“Shiro…” Lance poked his arm. “You holding out on us?”

“Huh?”

He reached for the flask, making a grabbing motion with his hands. “I’m not feeling the wine yet, man. Gimme!”

Shiro failed to notice the knowing looks exchanged between some of his teammates. “Oh, sure.” He handed Lance the flask, watching as he took a few large swigs.

His nose scrunched up and he stuck out his tongue, handing it back to Shiro. “Vodka? In my good, Christian home? I’m offended!”

“Alright, before you guys drink it all,” the owner of the flask confiscated it from Shiro. “You kids want to come to the after party?”

“We have morning practice,” Shiro noted.

“It’s not till nine! We’ll be alright!”

“Yeah Shiro, don’t be a stick in the mud!”

“Stickler Shiro at it again.”

Shiro frowned. “Hey, I’m fun!”

“Fun enough to keep up with these freshmen?”

“I’m only a sophomore!”

“Come on, guys, let’s stop teasing Shiro,” someone said.

“Let’s go dance, guys!” Lance insisted, waving his hand at his classmates. “You guys are clogging up the dancefloor and not even moving!”

“This music blows,” Keith pointed out.

“Shush! Come on!” he dragged Keith more into the thick of things. Looking back at Shiro, he smiled. “Well, you coming, Shiro?”

He turned to his teammates, not wanting them to think he was bailing on them, or that he wasn’t fun. But, they were already focused on something else, so they didn’t even notice when he followed after Lance and the others.

They settled in the thick of things, right in front of the DJ. If they were in a club, surely the smell of sweaty bodies would’ve been overpowering, but under the stars, Shiro felt cool and comfortable even in the crowd.

By the time everyone had deemed themselves too tired to continue their jumping and swaying, the crowds had thinned slightly. They decided to leave, and while Keith, Hunk, and Pidge made for the campus Taco Bell, Lance said that he wanted to go to bed, so Shiro quickly offered to accompany him.

They took the longest path possible, meandering between academic buildings and abstract art pieces that dotted the quads. Lance hopped up onto a ledge of a large, rectangular fountain, carefully balancing as he walked along it.

“Careful,” Shiro warned. “You’re drunk.”

“That’s very true. But, I have great balance—dancer, remember?”

“Still,” he replied. While Lance was only two feet off the ground, Shiro set his hand on the small of his back, just in case he was in need of a quick rescue.

“Did you have fun?” Lance asked. “At the quad party?”

“I did. I don’t remember my own orientation party… my team got me fucked up,” he chuckled.

Lance hummed, slowing his pace. “This fountain is nice. If a bit loud.”

He stopped and turned toward Shiro. Behind him, a singular jet of water shot upward, while small pillars around it each featured their own waterfalls. The spotlights that were meant to highlight the water only served to flatter Lance, as if he was the work of art on display.

“It’s a memorial fountain, I think, for GT students who’ve served in the military. Sadly, most people just call it the ‘nut fountain’ now.”

Lance barked with laughter. “That’s so immature!”

“That’s college for you. After home victories, students will come and run through it. It’s a GT tradition.”

His eyes darkened mischievously. “Oh?”

“What are you—“ before Shiro could react, Lance stepped back, landing on a smaller ledge within the pool. Lance bent over to take off his shoes. “Lance! It’s not allowed! We’ll get caught!”

“You can keep watch for me!” he said, tossing his shoes aside before going after his socks. “Or you could join me, it’ll be fun! Have you ever done it before?”

“I can’t really leave the locker room right after games to do it…” he said.

Shrugging out of his jacket, Lance took another step back, finally reaching the water. “Shit!” he giggled. “It’s freezing! And the tiles are slippery!”

“You’re gonna bust your head open!”

“A busted head in the busted nut fountain? How poetic.”

“I can’t believe you said those words with a straight face.”

Lance threw his jacket at his pile before stepping further into the fountain. He approached a short waterfall, climbing up it easily.

Sighing, Shiro slipped out of his own shoes. At hearing a quiet curse, he stepped over the ledge, rushing to Lance’s side.

“You okay?” he asked.

Lance beamed up at him. “Perfect! Come on, let’s get in the center.”

“We’ll get soaked! And sick, probably. This is, like, irrigation water, I’m pretty sure.”

Lance shrugged, trudging forward. Not seeing any way to stop him, Shiro only followed. He kept close, hands ready just in case, but Lance was sure of foot. While Shiro tried to lift his feet with each step, Lance shuffled through, creating choppy waves around them. He even paused to kick water at Shiro’s waist on occasions, cackling while Shiro only shook his head with a fond smile on his face.

The main jet was powerful, so standing next to it was enough to soak them to the bone. Lance placed his hand over the spray, redirecting it in Shiro’s direction to truly ensure that he’d gotten sufficiently wet.

Sputtering, Shiro reached out, grabbing Lance and forcing him directly into the spray. He squealed with laughter, begging for Shiro to let him go, but he refused. Finally, he stepped back, bringing Lance with him. They remained embracing, chuckles dying down as water cascaded around them.

“It’s almost as if it’s raining,” Lance said. “Kind of romantic.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhmm… like the rain scene in _The Notebook_.”

“I’ve never seen it.”

He gasped. “That is a crime!”

“I like the rain scene in _Pride and Prejudice_.”

“That’s a perfectly acceptable substitute.” Lance’s hands were on Shiro’s chest, fingers drumming. “We should’ve saved this for our third date so I could kiss you in the rain—”

“The irrigation water,” Shiro corrected.

“—you’d be swooning!” he continued.

“Maybe I already am.”

“You’re too buff to swoon. Strong legs. Impressive lung capacity, I’m sure. And if you did, I wouldn’t be able to catch you!”

“Oh no, help, I’m swooning!” Shiro leaned against him, intentionally making himself heavier. Lance laughed, forced to take a few steps back but still struggling to keep them both vertical.

“No! Stop! I’ll drop you!” He took another step, though this time he slipped.

Shiro was quick to catch him before he could fall into the shallow water. Hunched over him, water falling around them, Lance’s bright eyes peering up expectantly through wet eyelashes, Shiro couldn’t help himself.  

“You won’t kiss me,” Shiro said. “But can I kiss you?”

Lance nodded, and Shiro leaned down, kissing him for several, sweet seconds. When he pulled away, Lance seemed breathless.

“Whoa…” Lance said. “That was… intense.”

Shiro straightened out, bringing Lance back up with him.

“Sorry,” he said. “You just… looked so gorgeous.”

He flushed. “Stop…”

“I don’t know if I can,” he brought Lance’s hand up to his face, kissing his knuckles.

“Alright, then do go on,” he laughed. “As far as first dates go, I’d say this one went swimmingly, wouldn't you?”

“I agree.”

“Sorry to end things early, but I’m sure you want to get to your afterparty, don’t you?”

“What?”

“I just thought you’d want to drop me off so you could hang out with them. I don’t mind. Though I probably shouldn’t delayed you with this silly detour.”

Shiro’s brow furrowed. “That’s why you suggested we leave? So I could go out with my team?”

“Well, yeah—“

“Lance, listen. I hang out with those guys every day. I don’t need to spend any more time with them. I wanted to go wherever you wanted, because I want to get to know you, however you’ll let me.”

“Oh, well…”

“As if I’d leave our date for those clowns,” he smiled. “Now, come on, we should get you to your room and out of your clothes.” He startled, blushing. “And into dry pajamas! So you don’t get a cold!”

Lance giggled. “Sure, Shiro… and we can get you some clothes for your walk home—I don’t want to be the reason GT’s star wide receiver dies of pneumonia!”

They carefully made their way out of the fountain, carrying their shoes to Lance’s dorm. An RA at the door raised a brow at them, but she didn’t comment on their appearance, since they didn’t seem to be presently breaking any rules.

Lance offered Shiro a towel to dry off as well as some clothes, but Shiro insisted that he could root around Keith’s closet for clothes instead. He found a baggy shirt and some shorts that suited him well enough and changed into them when Lance left for the bathroom to change his own clothes.

On returning, Lance looked rather cozy in a blue pajama set, complete with fuzzy cat slippers.

“You are adorable,” Shiro declared, rising from his position on Keith’s bed.

Lance laughed. “Thank you. Your brother said I looked like an idiot in this getup.”

“Keith’s blind. Ignore him.” Lance stepped to the side so Shiro could get through the door. “We still on for tomorrow?” he asked.

Lance nodded quickly. “Of course! If you still want. After brunch I need to head to the bookstore, do some shopping since apparently classes are a thing around here. I’m not sure where’s a good place to shop, or whatever, though I guess you’re the driver so it’s up to you.”

“Alright. I can pick you up at 4:30, how does that sound? Should give us enough time to shop and cook so that we can eat at a reasonable hour.”

“Perfect,” he grinned. “I’ll see you, then, for date two.”

“We may be hard-pressed to outdo ourselves,” Shiro admitted. “Tonight was amazing.”

He laughed, a high, tinkling sound. “We did set the bar pretty high. But, hey, we both seem up the challenge. I’m sure we’ll manage.”

He nodded. “I’m sure we will, too.” He took Lance’s hand, squeezing it lightly. “Goodnight.”

As he stepped back, Lance waved shyly before shutting the door. “Goodnight,” he repeated.

Shiro thought to call an Uber, since he was a bit tipsy and damp to be walking home on his own. But, when he approached the main drive of campus, he recognized one of his teammates dropping off some freshman players.

“Hey, Preston!” he jogged over. “You heading back to Hunter’s?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “The newbies were a bit too lit, wanted to head home. You coming out?”

“Nah. Think you can just drop me off at home?”

“Sure, not a problem. Hop in.”

Shiro obliged, and Preston pulled away from the curb.

“So,” Preston said. “You dating that guy?”

Shiro startled. “What? Me? A guy?” he shook his head. “No way.”

“Look, I don’t got a problem with the whole gay thing,” he rolled his eyes.

Shiro sighed. Preston was on the defensive line, so their interactions weren’t so frequent. But, Shiro knew he was a good guy, if a bit brash at times. “Well, it’s not just you who I have to worry about.”

“True,” he hummed. “Yeah there are some assholes on the team who wouldn’t be cool about it. All the people who went to the quad party though—they’re cool. I think they kind of figured it out, after watching you two. And I mean Sam definitely knows since he saw you two leave together last night.”

“Oh…”

“Hey, it’s fine! You deserve to be happy, man.”

“I just wish I could be happy in public.”

Preston didn’t—perhaps couldn’t—say anything to that, so they drove in silence. He dropped Shiro off at his apartment, but stopped him before he shut the door.

“Yo, Shiro.”

“Yeah?”

“Good luck, man, with the guy. I’m sure it’s even harder, given your situation, and relationships alone can be kinda scary to get into.”

“Oh, thanks. I’m not worried about the relationship itself, though. He’s a good guy.”

“You really like him, huh? Didn’t you just meet?”

He laughed. “Yeah, we did. And, yeah, I do. A lot.” He clapped Preston’s hand. “Thanks for the ride, man.”

“Sure thing, dude. I’ll see you tomorrow. And, I know we’re not super close, but if you ever want to talk, or whatever, I’m here for you. We’re teammates. Gotta be there for each other.”

“Oh. That… that means a lot.”

“And if you do ever decide to come out—which you don’t have to, I’m just saying—just know I’ll be there to knock some heads in if needed.”

“Thanks, Preston,” he chuckled. “See you in the morning.”

“’Night.”

After waving goodbye to his friend, Shiro headed up the stairs to his small apartment. He changed into his own dry clothes and fell onto his bed, falling asleep in minutes.

His dreams were filled with visions of blue eyes and raindrops, bright smiles and starry skies. He woke with a smile on his face, having slept better than he had in months.

**Author's Note:**

> this got away from me haha. no guarantees that dates 2 and 3 will be as long!
> 
> also, i'm so happy people like the series! is there anything else specific you'd want to see? i plan to eventually get into, like, their actual college experience, haha, and shiro's coming out journey will be a big plot point--SPOILER: angst? i don't know her, and i won't write her (well maybe only some super lightttt angst, and it's more because characters are interpreting things in certain ways/internalizing them). maybe, too, a bit on matt x allura's relationship, though i'll be honest idk if i'm qualified for it, since i've never gotten into the ship. obviously i like it, otherwise i wouldn't have included it, haha, but i've never really read it, ya know?


End file.
